And delivery apparatus



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s. D. TUCKER. SHEET'FOLDING AND DELIVERY APPARATUS. Q

No. 293.122. Patented Feb. 5, 1 4.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

s. 1). TUCKER. SHEET FOLDING AND DELIVERY APPARATUS. No. 293,122. 6 Patented Feb. 6, 1884.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

S. D. TUCKER.

SHEET FOLDING AND DELIVERY APPARATUS.

Patented Feb. 5, 1884.

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' 1). TUCKER. SHEET POLDINGAND DELIVERY APPARATUS. No. 293,122. A S Patented 361055, 1884'.

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"SHEET FOLDING AND on NEW YORK, N.

DELIVERY APPARATU S.

srEcrrIcArIonrormin part of LettersPatent No. 293,122, dated February 5, 1884;. Application filed April 12, 1883. (No modcll Patented in England July 26, 18Tfi,l\'o. 3,019.

newand useful Improvements in Sheet Folding and Delivery Apparatus, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to a mechanism fort folding and delivering sheets of paper, said mechanism being particularly adapted to op-I erate 1n connection with a web-printing mechanism. I11 the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mechanism embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view, and Fig. 3 an end elevation, of the same. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken upon theline a; w of Figs. 2 and 3, looking toward the folding rollers.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it is to be understood that 10 11 represent the usual cuttingcylinders of any ordinary web-printing mechanism, and 8 9 the ordinary accelerated tapes leadingtherefrom, for the purposeof completing the severance of thesheets, and providing workingspaces between them in their line of travel. The tapes 9 pass around pulleys 7, above a rotating cylinder or carrier,

12, around one of a pair of folding-rolls, 5 6, and return over pulleys 4, while the tapes 8 pass around pulleys 3, and, terminating short of the cylinder 12, return around the pulleys 2 and over the pulleys 1. The pulleys 14 are mounted in adjustable arms, so that they can be slightly shifted in position to regulate the tension of the tapes. The cylinder 12, which is equal in circumference to the length of a sheet, including one of the workingspaces between the sheets, is provided with a set of grippers, 13, and a rotating folding blade, 14, both of which are of the ordinary construction, and operated in the usual manner to take the sheets as they arrive upon the cylinder and fold them between the rolls 5 6. The rolls 5. 6 are geared together in the usual manner, and receive motion from a gear, 15, upon the cylinder 12, which cylinder in turn receives motion through a train of gears, 16, from the cutting-cylinders or other movingpart of the printing apparatus. As the oncefolded sheets emerge from between the rolls 5 6,.they will pass forward between the fixed guides 17 and the series of tapes, 18, which pass around the roll 6, and a series of pulleys, 19, and be brought to rest against a stop, 20,

above the folding-rolls 21 22, in proper posi- As the thrice-folded sheets emerge from the .rolls 25 26, they are taken by the fly 28 and deposited upon the:piling-table, or other suit able support, 29, in the usual manner. The folding-rolls 21 22 and 25 26 are geared together and to each other, so as to be driven in unison, and are connected in any convenient manner with some appropriate moving part of the apparatus. In the present case they areconnected by belts 36 31 with a longitudinal shaft, 32,.which receives motion through a pair of bevelgears from the transverse shaft 33, to which one of the gears 16 is secured. The blades 23 27 and the fly 28 also receive motion from the same source, they being for this purpose connected by rock-arms and rods with eccentrics upon the shaft 32.

It will be observed by reference to Figs. 3 and 4 that the rolls 21 22 and 25 261are so ar-' ranged that the blade 27 acts upon the sheet to make the third fold while it is still being advanced by the rolls 21 22. This arrangement has been found desirable in practice, not only because it adds to the compactness of the machine, but also because it permits the sheet to remain under the positive control of one pair of rolls until it has passed into the con trol of the other. a

It has been found in practice that when the transversely-folded sheets are entered into the bite of the third pair of folding-rolls before they are free from the second pair they will not be folded squarely by the third pair. It

is the object of the present invention to overcome this difficulty, which I have found can ICO be done by feeding the folded edge of the 1 sheets faster than the unfolded edge, and to this end the, rolls 21 22 are made tapering in form, as shown in Fig. at, so as to advance that edge of the sheet which is the line of the first fold faster than the other edge and present the sheets to the rolls 25 26 in such a position that when the blade 27 doubles them between said rolls the fold-line will be at right angles E0 the side edges and parallel to the preceding old.

It is evident from the foregoing that in order to secure evenly-folded sheets their position, when acted upon by the blade 27, will be more or less diagonal, according as the thickness of the folded edge may require. In Fig. 4 these features are somewhat exaggerated for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the principle of the invention.

It will of course be understood that if a third parallel fold is to be made in a like manner, the third, as well as the second, pair of folding-rolls will be made tapering.

It will also be seen that the present invention is not confined in its application to a folding mechanism of the form herein shown; but may be applied equally well to many other forms, and also that in the form shown the cylinder 12, if desired, may be capaeitated to associate as well as fold sheets.

That I claim is 1. A folding mechanism consisting of the combination, with a pair of tapering foldingrolls, of a means for entering sheets between them, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a folding mechl seamen first, the rolls of said first mechanism being made tapering, so as to present the sheets in proper position to said second mechanism, all substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a mechanism for imparting one fold to a sheet, of a mechanism for imparting another fold at right angles to the first, a pair of tapering rolls, as 21 22,- arranged to act upon the sheet after receiving the firstof said folds to present it in proper position to IGCGlXG the second of said folds, and means for directing the sheet between said tapering rolls, all substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a primary folding mechanism, as 14: 5 6, of a pair of tapering rolls, 2122, means for directing the sheet between said rolls, and a final-folding mechanism, as 25 26 27, arranged to receive the sheet from said tapering rolls, all substantially as described.

5. and blade 27, of the tapering rolls 21 22 and blade 23, arranged parallel thereto, substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

STEPHEN D. TUCKER.

Witnesses:

CHAS. W. CARPENTER,

CHAS. E. HoTcI-IKIss.

The combination, with the rolls 25 26 

